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Broadband Availability

The Department has prepared a pair of reports which describe the state of broadband availability in Vermont and a path toward universal access of broadband services. The first report, Understanding Broadband Deployment in Vermont, describes the factors which are advancing the development of broadband service in Vermont and those factors keeping the state from universal availability of broadband. The second report, Access for All: Meeting Vermont's Broadband and Wireless Goals, recommends steps for achieving this goal.

The most recent Department of Public Service estimates indicate that between 85 and 90 percent of Vermonters have access to at least one mass-market broadband service. At the county level, the degree of broadband availability varies widely. In Rutland, Washington, Grand Isle and Chittenden Counties (see the table below), at almost 95 percent of the population or more has access to some type of broadband service (although there are significant differences in the availability of different types of broadband service available). In Essex and Orange Counties, on the other hand, DSL, cable and fixed wireless broadband services are available to less than half and two thirds of the population, respectively. In Windham, Franklin, and Lamoille Counties, almost a quarter or more of residents do not have access to one of these broadband services.

Types of available broadband services vary greatly in Vermont. In some counties, one form of service is predominantly responsible for a county’s level of service availability. For example, Grand Isle’s relatively high broadband availability is due in great part due to the recent introduction of WISP service to the islands, while Addison County has one of the highest rates of DSL availability in the state, which makes a major contribution to its overall broadband availability. In many counties, areas which are served may be served by more than one provider. On the other hand, Orange County has relatively little overlap in the availability of cable modem, DSL, and WISP services.

• Understanding Broadband Deployment in Vermont
• Access for All: Meeting Vermont's Broadband and Wireless Goals
• Broadband map, 2006

Although rural areas lag behind more densely populated areas in broadband availability, much is happening at the local level to bring broadband to unserved areas. The Vermont Rural Broadband Community Internet Project provides a good overview of what is happening around the state as well as a registry to identify where there is unserved interest.